There are some HIV-woo ideas that I cannot believe we are still dealing with in 2012.
1. 'Condoms dont stop HIV' - Actually, they do. Really, really well. Better than any 'prophylactic antiretroviral' (with no side-effects). Virus cant evolve resistance to condoms. Virus cant swim through the tiny holes in the structure of latex. Condoms work, whether the Pope or abstinence-only educators or that guy who REALLY wants to bare-back-it wants to believe it or not.
2. 'Magic potions cure HIV!' - Really? Literally the best minds of three decades worth of scientists have been actively working day in and day out to try to find treatments for HIV/AIDS. We havent even dared to hope for a 'cure' yet. But Mr. Herpity Derpity brews a secret pot of herbs (aka 'soup') and CURES HIV!!!! Seems legit.
Behold, Mr. Herpity Derpity, the president of Gambia, Yahya Jammeh:
Gambian President Yahya Jammeh said that dozens of HIV/AIDS patients in the tiny West African state have been cured using his secret concoction of boiled herbs.
... "Just as the Prophet Mohammed prevailed and established Islam (...)I also prevailed to cure HIV/AIDS to the point that 68 are being discharged today," he said.
... Jammeh said on Sunday that his government would fully integrate "natural medicine" to all the country's hospitals, to complement Western medical techniques.
Ugh.
I will say this-- those of us fighting HIV-woo have been making inroads with the general public. While Average Joes and Janes might have a bit of sympathy for anti-vaxers or anti-GMOers, Average Joes and Janes do frequently step up to voice their disgust at HIV-woo. A couple of comments from that article:
Wow, smart (cures AIDS!) AND humble (compares himself to Mohammed)! No wonder he's president!
It's not clear on HOW the patients were discharged... Horizontally? In body bags?
He's also selling the Brooklyn Bridge if anyone's interested.
Simple enough to prove him right or wrong. Give him shot with the Aids virus, and then we can see if really works.
That being said, Yahya Jammehs 'issues' go far beyond his disillusion 'HIV cure'. The man appears to be a real life version of The Dictator. Example:
Janneh was sentenced to life imprisonment for reportedly distributing t-shirts with the slogan "End to Dictatorship Now" in reference to Jammeh’s presidency.
Death for an inoffensive T-shirt Jammeh found offensive. Its not a bad movie, it actually happened in real life. Jesus.
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Guess Mr. President is getting bored. The problem of taking over a country age 29 - by the time you're in the mid-40s you're looking to bigger things than running Africa's smallest country. As he's unlikely to win the Nobel Peace price, maybe he's going for the one in Medicine .